


A Single Mind

by Harutumann



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-20 08:02:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16552058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harutumann/pseuds/Harutumann
Summary: "The success of this mission is crucial to the Republic. You must maintain your cover by any means necessary."Mace Windu





	A Single Mind

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FireflyFish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireflyFish/gifts).



This morning it wasn’t the usual 0600 hours alarm that had woken him. Through the heavy blanket of deep dreamless sleep he’d so rarely had he heard the quiet beeps of his personal com link. He rubbed his face with his hands, displeased by the disturbance, not ready to open his eyes to face another day just yet. The beeps stopped and after a few moments he put his hand on the bedside stand. There was an empty spot where his comm should have been.

-Dang it!..- he muttered to himself.

The com link was still on the sleeve of his robes. The robes were on the floor. That meant he had to get up to get the message.  _This is a terrible morning already_ , he thought. He stretched lazily while in bed, feeling pleasant goosebumps on his skin and finally opened his eyes. The room was still dark, but he could hear the distant buzz of transport outside the Temple walls. He could feel the incessant hum of billions of living things in the Force around him that was magnified by his unique sensitivity to the Force. That morning it didn’t bother him, perhaps because he managed to actually get some rest that night. That morning he felt… at peace.

He tossed away the blanket and sat up, looking around him. The room was a usual mess: sad looking droid parts scattered around, discarded robes lay on the floor right next to the chair and his lightsaber was sticking out from under them. He stood up, dragged his legs towards the pile of dark brown fabric and fished his com link out of it. He yawned and pressed the button to play the message.

“General Skywalker, good morning to you. Chancellor Palpatine would like to speak to you in his office as soon as you have the time…”

This message seemed to really cheer him up. He wasn’t in the least bit sleepy anymore.

-Well, this is a legit enough excuse to skip meditation,-he said joyfully and hurried off to the refresher.

 

* * *

 

-Anakin, my dear boy!

The Chancellor met him with open arms and a kind smile on his face, one like a loving grandfather would have when he looked upon a cherished child. Anakin smiled at him in return, slouching a little as he entered the murrey office. Chancellor Palpatine patted him on both shoulders and then led the young man to a sofa. There on a small table a steaming teapot and two cups had already been prepared.

-Please, sit,- Palpatine said, as he sat on the sofa and gestured to the spot next to him. Close, but not too close, as to not make the young Jedi feel uncomfortable.

-Thank you,-replied Anakin and accepted the offer. Well, he couldn’t really refuse, after all not every Jedi Knight could proudly declare that Supreme Chancellor himself was their close friend. Anakin didn’t have many friends and his relationship with Palpatine had helped him greatly over the course of his life. Chancellor was always there when Anakin needed him and always had valuable advice to give. He was even better and more helpful than Obi-Wan in a way. Palpatine was honest with Anakin and he wasn’t constrained by the Code.

-How are feeling, my boy?-Palpatine asked.

-I am perfectly fine today, thank you, sir. And you?-asked Anakin a bit awkwardly.

-I am too, considering the time we live in.

 _The war_ , Anakin understood. The war had taken its toll on all of them.

-So, what I wanted to talk to you about… How are you taking the news? I know you two are close.

Anakin looked confused.  _What news?_

-I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean, Chancellor.

-Well, surely she has told you,-Palpatine said, looking down at his tea. After a pause he glanced up at Anakin who was starting to worry now.-It is not common knowledge, only myself and the Jedi Council are aware of the situation.

-Forgive me, sir, but what situation? Who has told me?-asked the young Jedi, now tense.

-Senator Amidala, of course.

Anakin felt his gut tighten and a cold shiver run down his spine.  _Padme… she must be in danger!_  his thoughts screamed. He put his cup down, a little too hard, and he felt it crack at the bottom. But it didn’t matter.

-Chancellor Palpatine, please tell me what you know,-he said, his voice lower than before.

As if to test the young man’s patience Palpatine didn’t say anything, but took a long sip of his tea. There was a moment of silence between them disturbed only by the sound of Anakin’s increased heartbeat. Then Chancellor finally spoke, carefully picking the words.

-The Council has informed me of an impending threat against the life of Senator Amidala. Apparently master Yoda had had a vision of something terrible happening to her.

-But why her?-exclaimed Anakin exasperatedly.

-It seems that it is connected to the bill she is currently drafting. Someone must have leaked it and it disturbed some powerful people. But unfortunately I don’t know any more.

At that Palpatine stood up and Anakin immediately followed him, having grown restless with his worry. He looked pale as if the Force had been drained from him, but the dangerous glint in his eyes suggested otherwise. He had an immense urge to rush to his beloved, embrace her in his arms and kill anyone who comes near her.  _If only she were here…_

-You should ask her yourself,-said Palpatine,-After all she’s your  _friend_.

-No, she’s at…

-Oh, but she came back the other night, I believe.

Anakin seemed to come back to life at those words. He straightened his back and looked at Palpatine with pleading eyes, then, when the old man nodded approvingly, almost ran out of the office.

 

* * *

 

Anakin ran though the halls of the Senate building like he was running for his life. His heart was pounding in his chest and horrible pictures were forming in his imagination. He earned a few sideways glances for his un-Jedi-like behavior, but it didn’t matter. Nothing in the whole galaxy mattered until he could hold his beloved wife in his arms. And now he was rushing to the one place he thought she would most likely be.

When Anakin had arrived to the point of his destination he didn’t bother knocking and just burst through the door. A quick scan of the room told him that she was there, unharmed and alone. Without a single word Anakin ran up to the confused-looking woman in front of him and clasped her in a fierce hug. As he held her his breathing slowed down and he seemed to come back to his senses.

-You’re alright,-Anakin exhaled into her collarbone,-you’re alright.

-Yes, yes, I’m fine,-Padme replied,-Please put me down, Anakin.

He reluctantly let go of her and looked into her eyes. Padme was really confused for some reason, he could tell.

-Why didn’t you tell me you came back?-he asked caressing her cheek with his left hand,-Why didn’t you tell me about the threat against your life?

-I…

Padmé turned away from him and returned to her seat at the desk. There was something strange about her that day. It felt to Anakin like a cloud was surrounding her in the Force. It didn’t feel like the usual Padme,  _his Padme_ , but his eyes weren’t deceiving him, were they? Now he was confused too.

-I didn’t want want to disturb you…-she said.

-Disturb me? You could never disturb me! Especially not with something like this!-he exclaimed and then got down on one knee beside her,-I want to protect you. I want to always be by your side!

Anakin looked at Padme, with so much love and adoration. He hadn’t seen her in weeks and now he was determined to absorb every little bit of her image into his memory once again. But she didn’t look back at him. Padme furrowed her eyebrows and her face bore the expression of thought and struggle, but Anakin couldn’t sense any of it. In fact he didn’t sense anything at all. That strange Force cloud was preventing it.

-Honestly, there’s nothing to worry about,-she said as if trying to convince herself more than him,-Necessary precautions have been taken, I am well protected here. You don’t need to stay. And I… really need to work…

-I can stay. To hell with all that Jedi business!-Anakin exclaimed and he could swear, Padme flinched at those words,-I should be here, with my  _wife_.

Anakin smiled one of his most charming smiles and covered her hand gently with his. He wasn’t sure when exactly Padme suddenly lost all color in her cheeks, before that small gesture or after it. But he could tell she was unsettled.  _Is it that serious this time?_

-Well, if you really need to work then I’ll leave you to it.

He stood up, gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked toward the door. Just a before leaving he turned around to look at Padme once more.

-But be sure, I’ll be close by. So whenever you need me…-he winked at her and she smiled at him, for the first time that morning. He left, and the storm of his thoughts seemed to clear up a bit.

 

* * *

 

When Anakin returned to the Temple later that morning he was deep in thought.  
Whatever dangerous stuff had been going on, Padme clearly didn’t want to talk to him about it. It was quite like her, she was independent and always kept her cool, even in the face of danger. But to disregard him completely like that? It wasn’t like her.

Anakin stopped where he was walking and put his fist to his mouth thinking. He needed to keep a positive angle.

Sure, he understood that she wanted some space. Even he could use a break from himself sometimes. Anakin wasn’t stupid, he knew how annoying he could be. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka kept constantly reminding him of that.  
But they hadn’t seen each other in weeks. Padme’d had all the space she could possibly desire.  
_Oh..._

His eyes widened.

_Ooh!.._

_No,_  Anakin shook his head and kept on walking,  _no, Padme and I love each other. We’re meant to be together. Forever. Nothing can bring us apart._

He proceeded down the hallway, his stride longer now, swinging his arms back and forth. No matter how reasonable his positive arguments sounded, Anakin couldn’t keep away a feeling of unease. He tried to strangle the worm of doubt that found its way into his mind, but it just didn’t seem to help. What would help, Anakin knew, is to  _feel_  her again. Feel the warmth of her body, the delicate touch of her hands on his face, her abandoned love... and the unique signature in the Force which Padme had, just like all living things. But hers was special. Sometimes Anakin wished in his wildest dreams that Padme was a Jedi. They’d be able to feel each other then like no one else; they would even be able to read one another’s thoughts. Sometimes he’d wonder what it would be like - to be with a Jedi...

 _Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts!_  Anakin scolded himself, knowing that by his lack of shielding anyone who listened could hear him. He needed to concentrate, that was the only way to solve this mystery.

_The mystery..._

_The mysterious Force cloud!_

Anakin suddenly came to a halt in the middle of a hallway as the realization had struck him. Was this cloud created by those who were after her? No, they couldn’t have done such a poor job of an assassination. Maybe it’s the other way around, maybe it’s a kind of protection performed by the Jedi to hide Padme... Yes, it must be it. Palpatine said he and the Council were the only ones who knew.  
They must’ve done it. I need to talk to them!

-Maaasterrr? What’re you doing here?-Anakin heard an irritatingly familiar voice say behind him. He turned around on his heel. There was his padawan, Ahsoka, standing in front of him now, puzzled if not suspicious look in her eyes.

-Heeey, Snips!-he smiled at her playfully,-Nothing much. Just thought that I need to speak to the Council.

The girl squinted and rubbed her chin, pretending to think really hard. _Ooh, here it comes!_

-The matter urgent is it?-she asked, drawling each word and trying to mimic master Yoda in his usual thoughtful manner.

-Yes, it’s extremely urgent,-he replied with a soft chuckle and put a hand on his waist.

-Then pointless, trying to talk to the full Council, it is.-Ahsoka continued to immitate the wise old Jedi,-The wait take too much of your time it will.

-What should I do then?-Anakin raised his other hand with the palm up, waiting for her proposal.

-Instead you need to seek out one member of the Council,-the girl explained with a look of importance,-who you trust most of all (not that you distrust the rest of course!) and talk to  _him!-_ Ahsoka concluded and gave him a wide grin, clearly proud of her little performance.

 _-Him?_ -Anakin raised his eyebrow.

The girl looked at Anakin with such a face as if he’d said something outrageously stupid. She crossed her arms on her chest and looked to the left.

-Isn’t that why you’re  _here?_

Anakin squinted and slowly followed her gaze expecting some kind of a trick, but to his shock he realized that this whole time he was standing right outside the quarters of his former master.

-Ahsoka, I was just...-he pointed at the door,-I didn’t realize...

-Yeah, yeah,-said Ahsoka, the expression on her face clearly stated “No need to explain anything to me. I know you better than you know yourself”.-So, you gonna ring or not?

Anakin thought for a moment. Having made a decision he replied:

-No. Just wait.

The young Jedi closed his eyes and slowly took a deep breath. He concentrated and relaxed at the same time, reaching out in the Force and exploring the space around him.

-He’s not there. It’s empty,-Anakin said quietly, both to Ahsoka and to no one in particular,-Let’s try something else.

At those words he lowered himself right where he stood and sat cross-legged on the floor with his eyes still closed. What Anakin was about to do wasn’t hard or unusual; it had become as natural for him as breathing. Slowing his breath and shutting out all the disturbances, he directed all of his concentration into one thing - his Force-bond with his master. So many times he’d done it before. This unique connection between master and padawan allowed them to communicate on a level beyond simple words. It was almost as if they were two halves of a single mind, so deep their connection was. Through it Anakin could always find Obi-Wan, wherever he was, could call to him and he would always be heard. It was like walking a moonlit path on the surface of a lake. That path was always straight and clear, and the Moon was always there, unreachable but you could see it.

But, a strange thing - there was no Moon this time. And there was no path. Anakin frowned.

 _Master?_ \- he called.

There was no answer.

_Obi-Wan?.._

Again, only silence greeted him.

Maybe he didn’t concentrate hard enough? No, this act shouldn’t require so much effort. It seemed like a large cloud had obscured the Moon completely.

_Something’s wrong._

Anakin opened his eyes and met Ahsoka’s concerned gaze. She was patiently waiting for him to speak. He looked down at the palms of his hands, not understanding what was happening. Not knowing what to do. He looked at her again, worried and helpless.

-I couldn’t reach him. I don’t know where he is.

**Author's Note:**

> Welp, that was the first SW fic I've written and the first thing I've ever written in English. Dedicated to the awesome FireflyFish. There is going to be more of this (hopefully). I hope you enjoyed!


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